Discouraged but hopeful still

I've gone out nearly every day for the past couple weeks looking and looking but haven't found anything (except a bunch of turkey eggs ). I just recently moved up here after doing an 8 year tour in the Army. Due to that, I haven't been able to get out and look for several years. I originally came from Illinois and I always had great finds each year down there. Up here though, I haven't found anything. I'm not sure if I'm just looking too close to the cities or if I'm just looking in the completely wrong places. If anyone is interested in meeting up this weekend and going out and doing a little hunting then shoot me an email (orange@nullform.com). I'm willing to go just about anywhere since I'm still fairly new to the state!

I think this is going to be my worst year ever. I haven't found anything north of the cities that is big enough to justify picking, just a lot of 1"-2" pencil erasers. I checked my most productive spot ever on Monday and saw tons of little ones, went back today and they have grown but not by much and not enough to justify picking but they are already starting to get rusty spots and bug chews. The moisture is right but all of this cool weather is keeping them from getting very big, we really need three or four days of nighttime lows in the mid 70's at least. Been finding a few on the south side of the cities and a little further south, but just on the small size range of what I normally pick. Last year I found a lot of 6"-8" and larger monsters that weighed several ounces each, don't think I'll see anything like that this year. The lousy weather coupled with a very late start to the season means everyone is antsy and out tromping up spots and picking little guys before they even have a chance to grow. If you have private land you might be able to wait them out, but public land is getting hit too hard too early this year. Can't blame people though, I've been chomping at the bit all month I just can't justify picking tiny little guys.

Yeah, I talked to my dad and uncle who both live in Illinois still and they've been having an awesome year so far. Especially compared to last year. I'll probably still go out a couple more times this weekend but I'm not counting on much. Hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend!

There are some nice ones out there right now. A friend and I picked a little over 360 mushrooms yesterday in the Hastings area on public land. Some nice greys, but mostly nice sized yellows. Although everyone is talking south facing hills, which were very good, we also found some on flat woodlands. One spot that was very good had a couple dead elms, and there was a nice sized hole in the forest canopy that allowed sunlight to hit the ground. I would post a pic but don't know how on this site.